Acting

Chen Yuan and Wen Rou confirmed a few details, then finally decided to make their move three days later.

After discussing the matter, Chen Yuan asked, "Boss Wen, have there been any major events in the martial world lately? Do I have to pay for this information?"

Wen Rou looked at Chen Yuan strangely. "Things everyone knows don't cost money. But why are you asking about this? You haven't even left Linked Mountains City yet. What do these major events have to do with you?"

"Not much, really. I'm simply curious. Though I may be a frog at the bottom of a well, if I can't even hear the sounds beyond the well, then I'd truly be stupid beyond saving."

Chen Yuan wanted to gather some news of the outside world from Wen Rou, and also compare the current timeline against some of the major plot developments he remembered.

Wen Rou did not press him further. She said directly, "There really have been quite a few major events in the martial world lately. News has been coming from Skywind Rain-Listening Tower's headquarters almost every day.

"The biggest event was that, a month ago, the Yanzhou magnate Zhishilang raised the banner of rebellion at Changbai Mountain and founded the Day-Changing Alliance to revolt against the imperial court.

"He composed a song: Before Changbai Mountain stood Zhishilang, clad only in red silk brocade underclothes.

"With a single call, Zhishilang gathered more than a hundred thousand people. Yanzhou's wandering heroes and local strongmen answered like clouds, their momentum vast and mighty. Within days, they captured nine cities in Yanzhou in succession, beheaded Prince Yan Zhao Pan of the imperial clan, and hung his head above the city gates for birds to peck at.

"But soon afterward, the imperial court dispatched Dingnan Army's grand general Xiahou Jiuxiao to suppress them. He repeatedly defeated the Day-Changing Alliance rebels and, in one burst of momentum, reclaimed five cities. The two sides are still locked in confrontation.

"Half a month ago, 'Sword God' Xie Kunwu traveled alone to the Western Frontier and challenged Sonam Simo, the abbot of the great esoteric Buddhist sect Zunxiang Faneng Temple, known as the 'World-Descending Bright King.'

"No one dared watch that battle from nearby, but someone more than ten miles away saw the golden light of a great sun melt snow-capped mountains, its might immense and majestic.

"Afterward, Sword God Xie Kunwu cleaved Zunxiang Faneng Temple's sacred mountain, Dorje Gongpa, in two with a single sword strike. The lingering radiance of that sword light did not slowly fade until several days later.

"No one knew who had won that battle. After returning, Xie Kunwu sealed Sword God Mountain and entered seclusion. Zunxiang Faneng Temple likewise announced that it was sealing its mountain and closing its gates, refusing to see outsiders.

"Also, ten days ago, the divine artifact Luofu Heavenly Scripture appeared in Yongzhou.

"It was said that this divine artifact recorded countless supreme cultivation arts, even peerless divine techniques surpassing Heaven Tier.

"Legend had it that if someone could comprehend the Luofu Heavenly Scripture, they could shatter the void, break through the limits of martial arts, and ascend in broad daylight.

"The appearance of the Luofu Heavenly Scripture drew countless aristocratic families, sects, and martial-world powers into the struggle. For a time, casualties numbered beyond count.

"In the chaos of battle, the Luofu Heavenly Scripture ultimately vanished. No one could determine whether it had fled away again or been seized by someone. Several major Yongzhou sects were still tracking its whereabouts, and the aftershocks of this affair had yet to settle.

"Those are the earthshaking events occurring in other provinces. Quite a few things have happened locally in Youzhou as well.

"More than ten days ago, Qingyang City, not far from Linked Mountains City, was breached by the Black Mountain Bandits. The city's three great forces—the Six Harmonies Gang, the Zhang Family, and the Hong Family—were all exterminated.

"Even disciples of the One Qi Piercing Sun Alliance who had been conducting business in the city were killed by the Black Mountain Bandits. Enraged, the One Qi Piercing Sun Alliance sent experts to wipe out the bandits and issued a bounty, attracting countless Youzhou experts.

"Also, Demon-Sealing Valley, on the border between Youzhou and Ningzhou, will soon host the Demon-Sealing Conference. Heroes from every corner of the martial world have been invited to attend. It is said that this Demon-Sealing Conference will bring some surprises as well, though no one knows how it will differ from previous years."

Wen Rou had rattled off a great many major events from the Nineteen Provinces of Great Xia and local Youzhou in one breath, and Chen Yuan now had a rough grasp of the situation.

Moreover, some of these major events had never appeared in the plot at all—for example, Sword God Xie Kunwu challenging Sonam Simo, abbot of Zunxiang Faneng Temple.

In the original plot, the timeline had only just begun at this point, and all the players were still in the beginner villages.

Those top experts of the martial world existed only in legend. Naturally, certain events occurring between them would not appear in the plot.

This once again made Chen Yuan realize that what he knew was merely the plot he "knew," not the entire world.

Even the plot he knew might veer off course because of the slightest change, completely departing from his memories.

After confirming the time to act with Wen Rou, Chen Yuan rose to take his leave.

"Young Master Chen, don't you want to stay with me a little longer? We've only just finished discussing business, and you're already in such a hurry to leave?"

Wen Rou shot Chen Yuan a resentful look.

She looked exactly like a woman watching some heartless man put on his clothes and leave immediately after finishing the deed.

Chen Yuan looked at Wen Rou with a half-smile. "Who doesn't know that Skywind Rain-Listening Tower's wind messengers and secret agents are best at prying for information? I'm afraid that if I keep talking with Boss Wen, you'll even coax out stories about me wetting the bed as a child."

With a wave of his hand, Chen Yuan went straight downstairs.

Behind him, Wen Rou gave a soft huff, gritting her teeth in anger.

Chen Yuan looked young, like a newcomer to the martial world fresh out of the gate.

But in truth, he would not take oil or salt. He was like a stone in a latrine—stinking and hard, impossible to get a handle on.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Throughout those three days, Chen Yuan had focused on cultivating the Coiling Silk Shattered Jade Hand.

The Azure Wood Method progressed far too slowly. Rather than waste time on it, he might as well cultivate the Coiling Silk Shattered Jade Hand. For one, he could use Shattered-Jade Force and Silk-Winding Force to temper his meridians and increase his strength.

For another, increasing his proficiency in the Coiling Silk Shattered Jade Hand could also significantly raise his combat power.

Three days later, Chen Yuan arrived at Peaceful Ward. He found the tallest restaurant in the ward, sat by a window, and observed the activity below.

Diagonally across from the restaurant stood an inconspicuous little noodle stall. It did not even have a signboard—only a pot and four small tables.

A white-haired old man, blind in one eye, was cooking noodles there. He even limped when he walked.

At the old man's side was a delicate and adorable little girl of around seven or eight. She helped carry noodles and bowls, bustling about nonstop.

Whether the old man's cooking was excellent or the little girl's charm inspired pity, the noodle stall's business was rather good, with diners coming and going in an endless stream.

Had Chen Yuan not known the plot, he would have found it difficult to believe that this blind, lame old man before him was once Zuo Xinglie, the rough-hewn overlord who had roamed the Nine-Dragon River and served as leader of the Thirty-Six Waterways Alliance.

Just then, more than ten martial-world figures dressed in blue and white suddenly stopped before the stall.

These people were visibly different from Youzhou's local martial-world figures.

Youzhou lay in the north, where the climate was cold and harsh most of the time. Thus, local martial artists favored dark black robes or fur-lined jackets and vests.

Lan Prefecture lay in the south, so its martial artists generally wore lighter colors such as blue and white.

The leader sized up Zuo Xinglie, then suddenly sneered in an authentic Lan Prefecture accent. "I truly never expected that the former 'Nine-River Flood Dragon' would now actually..."

Before he could finish, Zuo Xinglie abruptly overturned the soup pot, flinging scalding water straight at the leading martial artist!

"Fuck!"

The leading martial artist was naturally a secret agent of Skywind Rain-Listening Tower, possessing Meridian-Unblocking Realm strength.

He had intended to finish his lines before attacking, but he had not expected this old man to be so decisive. He was caught utterly off guard.

In truth, their disguise had simply been too convincing.

Zuo Xinglie had once been a rough-hewn overlord. Even though he had now withdrawn from the martial world and hidden within Linked Mountains City, he had not let down the vigilance he should possess.

From the moment they appeared, Zuo Xinglie had already prepared to attack.

It was not only their attire. Their clothes also carried the fishy, damp scent of water—a smell possessed only by those who traveled over water year-round. Who knew where Wen Rou had found such clothing?

As Zuo Xinglie erupted without warning, the leading martial artist swung the long blade in his hand and sent the soup pot flying. Yet he was still drenched from head to toe in boiling water, scalding him until he bared his teeth in pain.

The Skywind Rain-Listening Tower secret agents behind him also drew their weapons and attacked.

Wen Rou had already told them that this time, they were only to pursue, not kill—but they still had to make it seem as real as possible.

Zuo Xinglie might have been crippled, but he had once been a True Condensation Realm expert.

If they held back too much and got themselves killed, they would become a complete joke.

The instant Zuo Xinglie threw out the soup pot, his right hand suddenly pulled a bamboo pole used as a shoulder pole from the chopping board beside him.

With a fierce twist of his hand, the bamboo pole shattered inch by inch, revealing a five-foot Miao saber hidden within.

The blade swept through the air, gorgeous and resplendent, like a startled swan cleaving down in a single strike, accompanied by a burst of clanging explosions.

Zuo Xinglie's single slash actually forced several people back. Its power was so great that no one could tell he was a cripple.

But Zuo Xinglie did not continue the fight. Instead, he scooped up his granddaughter, turned, and fled.

Though one of his legs was crippled and his one-legged exertion looked awkward, his speed was incomparably swift. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished around the street corner.

The leader shouted in furious exasperation, "Get after him!"

He truly was angry.

They had originally been ordered to put on an act. Who would have thought that an old cripple would strike first and batter him senseless?

More than ten wind messenger secret agents gave chase, and Chen Yuan followed close behind.

He knew that Zuo Xinglie would not be able to hold out for long.

Zuo Xinglie's meridians had all been ruined. He no longer possessed internal force, and everything he had used in that attack had been pure physical strength.

Yet his body had also been severely damaged, and one leg was lame. Though he was only in his early sixties, he looked seventy or eighty years old. He simply could not endure for long.

At that moment, Zuo Xinglie clutched his granddaughter and ran desperately toward the city outskirts, but his single eye was filled with despair.

He had never imagined that those pups from the Mystic Whale Gang would still refuse to let him go after so many years.

He was already crippled. He had lost his cultivation and his former lofty ambitions.

Back then, had his son not risked his life to hold off their pursuers, he too would have died upon the Nine-Dragon River.

His own death did not matter, but his granddaughter was the only bloodline left of the Zuo Clan. No matter what, he had to leave her a sliver of hope for survival!

The pursuers behind him drew ever closer. Zuo Xinglie fought desperately, but the hand wielding his saber grew heavier and heavier, while his speed became slower and slower.

Just then, a loud shout suddenly rang out.

"Old sir, do not panic! I'll help you!"

Saber light descended. Chen Yuan swept aside several wind messenger secret agents with one slash, his face full of righteous indignation. "Martial-world grudges should not implicate one's family! Yet you people dare attack an old man and a child, disregarding all martial-world morality. You are utterly shameless!"